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(No ModeL) 0, L'AMBDIN. ELECTRICAL QONTAOT MAKER AND BREAKER.

No. 379,074. Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

WITNESSES: /IVVENTOH.

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ATTORNEY;

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' UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OABVOSSO LAMBDIN, OF BARRANQUILLA, UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL B. LAMBDIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL CONTACT IVlAKER AND BREAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,074, dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed November 14, 1887. Serial No. 255,063. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OARVOSSO LAMBDIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ban ranquilla, in the United States of Colombia, South America, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Contact Makers and Breakers, of which the following is a description.

My invention is designed to provide means whereby the making and breaking of electrical contacts can be accomplished without sparking, and whereby the contact-surfaces may be kept free from dust and moisture.

I will illustrate my invention as applied to the contacts of a telephone-circuit; and my special object is to provide a good circuit maker and breaker for such use.

My circuit maker and breaker consists, broadly, of a sealed inclosing-case, preferably of glass, in the walls of which contact pieces arefixed, and a relatively movable conductor within the case capable of making connection between the said contacts or a selected number of them.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent different forms of circuit-controller applied to a telephone-circuit.

In Fig. 1, A is my circuit-controller, consisting of a sealed inclosing-case, B, of glass, contact-pieces a, b, and c in the inner walls thereof, and mercury or other conducting-liquid, 0, within the case. The case issecured to the arm-supportD of a telephone, E, the sup port being acted upon in the usual manner by a spring, as F, in opposition to the weight of the telephone. The contact piece bis joined by a wire, 2, to the line. The other contactpieces, a and c, are connected to ground or to the line in the other direction through the bell "H and the receiver E, respectively.

When the .telephone is on the hook, the circuit-controller is thrown into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1', thus throwing the mercury into contact with contacts a and b and putting the bell in circuit.. When the telephone is taken off the hook, the parts take ent conducting lever, J, having an enlarged .head for the purpose of presenting a wide surface of contact and to give such weight to the lever as will make it always assume a perpendicular position. In the two positions of the telephone the lever makes contact with one or the other of two contacts, 0 and p, the same results as before being accomplished.

The advantages of my circuit-controller are that the contact-surfaces are within a sealed airtight case, where it is impossible for dust or moisture to enter. This obviates the danger of sparking, at least after the first few contacts, and also prevents danger of corrosion from other causes. The contacts are made broad to contributeto the avoidance of sparking, and

furnish ample surface for good contact even should one edge become corroded from sparking. It should be noted, too, that the mercury contact takes place with the bottom of the mercury and not with the top,where dust or other light particles -accidentally on the mercury when put in place might interfere with the proper working of the apparatus. In some instances I shall make a vacuum within the sealed chamber for still greater security, and I may remove the air and substitute some other gas, as nitrogen, for obvious reasons. These modifications apply to both the forms of circuit-controller illustrated.

The special advantages of having good contactin a telephonecircuit are well understood. With an instrument of such sensitiveness as the telephone, any slight imperfection of action may make all the differencebetween a successful and an unsuccessful apparatus. My invention will, however, be found useful for all sorts of electrical contacts, and especially in damp or dusty regions.

Having described my invention, I claim-- 1. The combination, with a telephone and so as to connect the line and the bell circuit phonesupportpfatelephonesupported on one terminals or the line and the telephone circuit side of the pivot, and a sealed chamber carryterminals, as and for the purpose set forth. ing circuit-terminals,and a movable conductor [5 2. A circuit-controller consisting of a sealed or connector supported on the opposite end of 5 chamber containing circuit-terminals in line the support, as set forth.

with a poised termina1,with which either of In witness whereof I have hereunto signed the said terminals may be brought into conmy name in the presence of two subscribing tact when the chamber is moved, the said eonwitnesses.

troller being connected with and moved by CARVOSSO LAMBDIN. 10 the telephone-support, as and for the purpose \Vitnesses:

set forth. G. G. GMEZ, R,

3. The combination, with a pivoted tele- \VM. LADD. 

